“It’s just that teams are afraid of ‘I want to be a starter.’ It’s not the case. Melo just wants to have a farewell season, do what D-Wade did. Have a jersey swap. He had a great career, he’s a Hall of Famer. So hopefully that could happen.”

“I think Melo being in New York, coming to the Knicks is bad. I think the management is bad and I think they really don’t know what they are doing. I don’t like how they pick players, I don’t like how they respect their players, but I am a Knicks fan and I always have been a Knicks fan.”

“This is unbecoming to a first ballot Hall of Famer and I think that’s what he is. His first year in the league, he took a 17-win Nuggets team to the Playoffs in the West as a rookie. It took LeBron two years to get Cleveland into the Playoffs from 17 wins.”

According to NBA.com: LBJ is within striking distance of passing a pair of Hall of Famers in 2019-20: Gary Payton (whom he trails by 305 assists) and Isiah Thomas (400).

A three-time NBA Champion, James, who averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 55 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season will start at point guard next season.

“He’s a great teammate, most importantly he’s a great human being and he’s always been a great advocate for the NBA as a brand. So I just want him to get back on a team and play the sport he loves that’s paved a way for him and his family, and he just loves to play basketball, so I really want him back on a team.”

For those tardy to the party: Thomas was the 12th pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2000 NBA Draft.

ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 07: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after a foul against the New Jersey Nets with Etan Thomas #36 at Philips Arena on December 7, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

He had stints with the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks.

Our chat followed a community service that honored the fifth year anniversary of Eric Garner’s death.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: So I read your op-ed, I perused it, about Carmelo Anthony. One of the things you brought up was the media perception of him not starting vs coming off the bench. Reiterate from your perspective, as an NBA player, do yo think that the OKC press conference where he discussed whether he was starting or being on the bench, do you think that hurt him or helped him?

Etan Thomas: It was a spin move, kind of like how Kapernick said this is why i”m taking a knee, but then people said it was for other reasons. When Carmelo was asked if he can truly start, he said “yeah, I’m gonna start on my life, I can do this or that.” No player is going to say, “Nah, I ain’t got it no more, I’m washed up.” No, every player, who has ever played, played for four minutes. So they blew everything he said out of proportion. He didn’t say that he wouldn’t start, he had just got off the bench in Houston. So, I think he media right now is trying to blackball him, and I”m trying to figure out why. So I looked at the other coaches and see that they’re talking about him, I’m like “look at these cats, look at John Carl.” He’s had a problem with every star player, who has a problem with Ray Allen?! Ya know? No one has a problem with these guys. So, he’s the common denominator in it. And Phil Jackson? That was a whole mess here in New York! He was trying to bad mouth and everything like that, Carmelo Anthony handled the situation like a professional. He didn’t want to go into the back and forth, he didn’t say that to give them a reason, he goes up there to hit it hard everyday, they wanted to start all over. That wasn’t his fault. So I think the whole perception of it, ya know, the twist and the slant of it was unfair. Can he still play? Of course he could! But the whole way it panned out…like no one is saying that’s who or how he is. You know what I mean? Even when people say he was playing harry Denvers when he was younger, he wanted to score a lot. The only people who had negative things to say was the players. Everyone else had positive things to say about them.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: His personal trainer, Chris Brinkley who runs Black Ops, was on the Breakfast Club the other day, he said Carmelo Anthony was better than 60-70%…
Etan Thomas: I mean I ain’t gonna give a percentage on it, but he should be playing in the NBA…

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I’m not getting into percentages, but when you look at him, what teams do you think he could play for?

Etan Thomas: Looking at the Lakers right now. I mean, I think he could do well with….no but… needs to score. But the fact that eh’s playing right now is ridiculous. What team? Ut’s the first time he’s gonna be an NBA Hall of Famer. I don’t know. Houston just wasn’t used to him. He kept scoring, but he made it to the playoffs.